Rotary magazine for toy guns



March 16, 1948. E. L. DRUMHELLER -ROTARY MAGAZINE FOR TOY GUNS Filed June 4, 1946 m. WN

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ATTO R N EY Patented Mar. 16, 1948 STATES PATENT GFFICE rIhis invention relates to a toy gun and more particularly to those guns in which a projectile such as a small ball is projected out of the barrel of the gun toward a mark by the impact of a spring-impelled strike-pin or plunger rod. l

It is an object of the invention to provide a repeater type of toy gun of the aforementioned type with an elongated, rotary magazine having a plurality of passages therein for feeding projectiles into the barrel of the gun.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a repeater type of toy gun of the aforementioned type which is simple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and which can shoot many more times without reloading, than the usual repeater type gun which is provided with a stationary, single passage or chamber magazine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a rifle type toy gun constructed in accordance with my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of Fig. l, parts being broken away,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 3-3 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 4 is a sectional View taken along the irregular line @-4 of Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 5v is a sectional View taken along the line 5 5 of Fig, 2 looking in the direction of the arrows,

Fig. 6 is a plan View of a detail,

Fig. 7 is a plan View of an impelling spring,

Fig. 8 is a plan view of another impelling sprin and Fig. 9 is a sectional View taken along the line 9 9 of Fig. 2 looking downwardly.

Referring to the drawing, the toy gun constructed in accordance with my invention therein illustrated is a ride type gun and comprises a stock I, a main body portion 2, and a barrel 3, preferably, but not necessarily, of integral construction.

A sight 4 is secured to the forward end of the barrel by means of a dowel pin 5 and glue. A cooperating sight 3 may be suitably secured adjacent the rear of the body portion 2.

The bore l of the barrel is provided adjacent its rearward end with a pin 9 projecting thereinto to prevent the balls or other projectiles from rolling rearwardly out of the barrel proper. The

4 Claims. (Cl. 124-48) upper portion of the rearward end of the barrel 3 is provided with an opening 9 through which the projectiles such as the balls I0 may be fed into the barrel.

The rearward portion of the body portion 2 is provided with a recess generally indicated by the numeral II. YThe recess comprises an upper portion I2 extending entirely across the body portion 2. Below the portion I2 the recessV assumes substantially a T-shape (Fig. 9) and this portion of the recess is designated by the numeral I3. The rearward portion of the T-shaped recess I3 is the wider portion.

A second recess I4 is provided inthe body portion 2 forwardly of the recess II. A preferably circularpassage designated generally by the numeral I5 isY provided in the body portion 2 substantially in alignment with the bore 'I of the barrel 3. The recesses and I4 divide the circular passage I5 into three longitudinally spaced passages I6, I1 and I8.

A strike-pin .or plunger rod I9 is mounted for reciprocation in the passages I6, Il and I8, VThe forward end of the plunger rod I9 is suitably recessed as indicated at 20 to permit the rod I9- to pass over the pin 8.

A block 2| provided with a passage '22 for receiving the plunger rod I9, is suitably connected to the plunger rod adjacent the rearward portion thereof by means of pins 23 and 24. The block 2| is located in the upper portion I2.of the recess and reciprocates with the plunger rod I9. The forward wall 25 of the portion I2 of the recess llfunctions as a stop to limit the forward movement ofthe block 2| and rod I9.

The bottom of the block 2| is provided with a recess 26 through which a pin 2l extends transversely. The pin 211s engaged by one end of a cam 28 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 29 in the portion I3 of the recess II. The other end of the cam 2B is engaged by the ngers 30 of a star-shaped trigger 3| which is also pivotally mounted by means of pin 32 in the portion. I3 of recess below the cam 28.

The lower portion of the rearward wall 33 of the recess is curved rearwardly as indicated at 34. Flat leaf power springs 35 and 36 are secured to the portion 34 of the wall 33 by means of a screw3'l. The spring means 35 and 36 extend upwardly in the recess and preferably freely engage the rearward end of the block 2|. The spring 35 is provided with an elongated opening or slot 38 andthe spring 36 is provided with a similar slot -39 to receive the rod I9. The elongated openings 38 .and 39 permit the springs V35 and 36 to move transversely relative to the rod I9.

The spring 36 is positioned forwardly of the spring 35 and is convexly curved as indicated at 40. The portion 4I] thereof extends into the space between two adjacent lingers 33 of the star trigger 3l. These two fingers are, the one which will next actuate the cam 28, and the second one in line for the actuation for the cam 28. Thus the spring 36 performs a dual function. It not only assists the spring 35 in driving the plunger rod I9 forwardly, but also, the curved portion 46 acts as a stop means to prevent reverse rotation of the trigger 3l.

Also, the force required to compress the springs 35 and 36 is distributed over the two lingers of the star trigger 3I that the curved portion 45 of the spring 36 lies between. One part of this compressive force is transmitted to and carried by the actuating linger 35 of the trigger 3l by the block 2| and cam 29. The other part is transmitted directly to and carried by the next actuating finger 30 by the curved portion 45 of the spring 36. Obviously, any force tending to compress the spring 36 must also necessarily tend to compress the spring 35 located rearwardly thereof, and thus the force required to compress both springs is distributed over two fingers 30 of the star trigger 3 I.

The open sides of the portion I2 of the recess II may be closed by plates 4I suitably secured to the body portion 2 as by means of screws 42. Preferably, as illustrated, the plates 4I extend from adjacent the top to adjacent the bottom of the body portion 2.

A substantially cylindrical, elongated magazine 43 provided with a circular axial passage 44 is mounted for rotation upon the plunger rod I9 in the recess I4. The end walls 45 and 46 of the recess I4 act as stops to prevent any substantial longitudinal movement of the magazine 43 as the plunger rod I9 is reciprocated.

The magazine 43 is provided with a plurality of elongated passages or chambers 4l'. The elongated passages 41 are forwardlyand inwardly inclined and the axes of the passages 41, at any transverse plane through the magazine 4l, are equally spaced from the longitudinal axis of the said magazine. Thus, at Iany transverse plane through the magazine 43, the axes of the passages 4'I are peripherally spaced along the circumference of a circle having as its. center the longitudinal axis of the magazine 43.

A forwardly and downwardly inclined opentop passage or well 48 leads from the wall 46 of the recess I4 forwardly and communicates the uppermost chamber 41 with the opening 9 leading into the bore 'I of the barrel 3.

A curved spring 49 extends down into the bore 'I of the barrel 3 a short distance, adjacent the forward end of the recess 9. 'Ihe spring 49 prevents the ball IB from rolling forwardly out of the barrel until impelled by the impelling means.

A member 56 overlies the open top of the passage 48. The member 53 is provided with an opening I for loading the magazine, and the opening 5l is provided with a pivoted closure 52. A screw 53 extends through the forward ends of the closure 52 and the member 59, and also through the spring 49, to secure these elements to the barrel 3. Additional means, such as glue, is used to secure the rearward end of the member 55 to the body portion 2.

The periphery of the magazine 43 is provided with a series of aligned spaced grooves or notches 54, one for each chamber or passage 4l. A curved spring holding means 55 releasably engages the notches 54, one at a time, to hold or maintain a passage 41 in alignment with the passage 48,

feeding projectiles into the barrel. As one passage or chamber 4'! becomes empty, the magazine 43 may be indexed in either direction to bring a filled chamber 47 into alignment with the passage 48.

The bottom wall of the recess I4 is recessed as indicated at 56 to receive the spring 55 and the said spring is secured to the body portion 2 by means of a screw 5l.

The magazine 43 illustrated holds 2l one-fourth inch balls in' each of its 8 chambers or passages 4l, and is approximately 51/4 inches long. The passage 48 holds 5 balls and hence, the gun illustrated may be fired 173 times without reloading. Obviously, the length of the magazine 43 may be varied to make it longer or shorter, and, for pistol type guns is preferably somewhat shorter than 51A; inches.

In assembling, the cam 28 is pivotally mounted in the recess II by the means 29. Next, the springs 35 and 55 are secured to the lower portion 34 of the wall 33 by means of the screw 3l. The springs 35 and 35 are then held rearwardly and the block 2| is placed in the portion I2 of the recess Il with the pin 2l engaging the rearward side of the cam 28. The magazine 43 is then placed in the recess I4 and the plunger rod is inserted in the passage I5 forwardly through the slots 38 and 39 of the springs 35 and 35, the passage 22 in the block ZI, and the passage 44 in the magazine 43, to a position such that it blocks the feeding of the balls lll into the barrel 3 through the opening 9 when the block 2l is in its forwardmost position as shown in Fig. 2. The block ZI is then secured to the rod I3 by means of the pins 23 and 24. The star trigger 3l may next be pivotally mounted in the recess I I by means of the pin 32.

In operation, the magazine 43 is loaded with projectiles l0 through the opening 5I, the said magazine being indexed each time one chamber 41 thereof becomes filled to bring an empty chamber 4'I thereof into alignment with the passage 48, until all 8 chambers have been lled. Also, the passage 48 is loaded with the 5 balls it holds.

On firing the gun, when the trigger 3l is actuated in a clockwise direction, the cam 23 engaged thereby is actuated in a counter-clockwise direction and by means of the pin 2l the block '2| and the rod I9 connected thereto are actuated rearwardly against the force of the spring means 35 and 35. In its rearward movement, the forward end of the rod I9 passes beyond the opening 9 and a ball I'il drops down into the barrel from the passage 48. The pin 8 prevents rearward rolling movement of this ball I0 and the spring 43 prevents forward rolling movement thereof. In its rearward-most position, the forward end of the rod I9 is preferably spaced from the ball IIJ positioned between the pin 8 and the spring 49.

As soon as the trigger finger 39 disengages the cam 28, the spring means 35 and 35 impel the block 2l and the plunger rod I9 forwardly. In its forward movement the rod 23 engages the ball Iii in the barrel and impels it or projects it therefrom.

The ball I9 dropping down into the barrel from the passage 48 is immediately replaced by one from the inclined passage or chamber 41, and as soon as one chamber 41 is emptied, the magazine 43 may be indexed to bring a filled chamber 41 into alignment with the passage 48.

With the exception of the spring means, which are preferably made of metal, any suitable material such as Wood, plastic or metal may be used in the construction of my toy gun.

The specic projectile type impelling means herein described, is disclosed and claimed per se in my copending application, Serial No. 674,- 168, led of even date herewith.

While the invention is susceptible of various modications and alternative constructions, I have shown in the drawings and have herein described in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that I do not thereby intend to limit the invention to the specific form disclosed, but intend to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a toy gun comprising a body portion, a barrel connected to said body portion, and a plunger rod mounted for reciprocation in said body portion in alignment with said barrel, a magazine rotatably mounted on said rod, said magazine having a plurality ofiorwardly and inwardly inclined projectile receiving passages therein, and a passage leading into said barrel from said magazine.

2. In a toy gun comprising a body portion, a barrel connected to said body portion, and a plunger rod mounted for reciprocation in said body portion in alignment with said barrel, a

magazine rotatably mounted on said rod, said magazine having a plurality of projectile receiving passages therein, and a passage leading into said barrel from said magazine.

3. In a toy gun comprising a Ibody portion, a barrel connected to said body portion, and a plunger rod mounted for reciprocation in said body portion in alignment with said barrel, a magazine rotatably mounted on said rod, said magazine having at least one projectile receiving passage therein, and passage means communicating Said passage with said barrel.

4. In a toy gun comprising a body portion and a barrel, a recess in said body portion, a magazine rotatably mounted in said recess, said magazine having a, plurality of forwardly and inwardly inclined projectile receiving passages therein, and a passage leading into said barrel from said magazine.

EDWARD L. DRUMHELLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the' iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS yNumber Name Date 278,005 Fredericks et al May 22, 1883 1,076,125 Kilgore Oct. 21, 1913 1,183,133 Sperry May 16, 1916 1,328,929 McDaniel Jan. 27, 1920 2,170,221 Stanley Aug. 22, 1939 2,222,125 Stehlik Nov. 19, 1940 

